Writing an English Name in Greek

Question

Hello

I have been learning to write Greek and speak it for a while and have a problem (amongst many) with my wife's name which is Brenda. I have always, as my name is Gordon and translates to   Γκόρντον  written Brenda as   Μπρέντα  however when I was in Corfu recently and asked various Greeks how that sounded to them in Greek most said it sounded like Breda (with out the n sound). Some however who understood English names said it was Brenda,

I was told by a few that if I put in the extra  ν  spelling it  Μπρένντα  then it would be understood but a teacher once said to me that the doubkle consonant had not been used in Greek for a long time -  I am condfused!  I could spell it as  Μπρένδα  I suppose but that would be a 'hard d' or would that sound like Brentha?

She wants a name necklace in Greek but I am afraid I will be forever trying to exxplain her name! Can you advise me please?

Ευχαριστώ Πολύ

Γκόρντον Μόρις

Gordon Morris

Answer 1

The correct writing of the name Brenda in Greek is Μπρέντα.

According to the phonetic rules of the Greek language the double letter consonant “ντ” is pronounced in some cases as “d” and in other cases “nd”.  In both cases we write “ντ” and never “νντ”, which does not exist in the Greek spelling system.

In most of the words that there is “ε” before the “ντ”, it is pronounced “nd” and not “d”.  

Examples:
έντιμος – endimos (honest)
έντομο – endomo (insect)
ένταση  - endasi (intensity)

However, in some places in Greece, the pronunciation varies and you may hear Breda instead of Brenda.  This is not a reason though to change the correct spelling of the name, which is Μπρέντα.

Μπρένδα would sound like Brentha, (TH like there, they).

Comments

Thank you so much for that very good answer. Now that you have explained the ε before the ντ rule I understand more as this has never been explained to me before! I will continue to write it as  Μπρέντα.

Ιάκοβος

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You are most welcome.